Marion County sheriff's trainee accused of domestic violence

Thursday

The woman described several instances where Jaime Lopez cursed, threatened and physically abused her while the two were together.

A Marion County Sheriff's Office trainee was arrested Tuesday and charged with domestic battery by strangulation on a 21-year-old woman.

According to Detective Tanya Rodriguez's report, the woman described several instances where Jaime Lopez, 22, cursed, threatened and physically abused her while the two were together. The couple were once married, but now are divorced, the report says.

At one point, the report says, Lopez used his law enforcement mobile data terminal to locate her. When asked why he used his department-issued computer to check on her, Lopez told the detective he wanted to find her so her car could be repossessed because she wasn't making any payments.

With his arrest, Lopez, who was hired by the Sheriff's Office in June, has been fired, sheriff's officials said Wednesday.

The detective interviewed the woman on Monday. She described verbal and physical abuse that began in 2016 and, around June 2017, "escalated" and that he began choking her "almost every week," the report states.

In 2018, she said, Lopez pulled her by the arm out of the bathroom and slammed her against a concrete wall, knocking her unconscious.

The woman said that, after Lopez abused her, he would call and apologize. On one occasion, he bought her roses. But a few days later, he punched her and spat in her face, she said.

In January, after she stopped communicating with him in late 2018, she said he sent her a picture of a gun, telling her he would kill himself. When she went to his mother's home where he was staying, she discovered it was a fake gun.

The woman said Lopez has removed her tag from her vehicle, telling her he would return it if she went on a date with him or gave him another chance. He gave it back when she returned a cellphone and iWatch he had given her.

On Tuesday, Rodriguez and Lt. Chris Vorisek, interviewed Lopez. Rodriguez said Lopez tried to minimize the incidents recounted by the woman. He admitted to calling her names and claimed their fights were usually over finances and her animals. He said he did choke her but only "for a moment."

Sheriff's officials said Lopez was released from jail Thursday morning on $5,000 bond.